Means for extending wires through the center pivot of an articulated vehicle

ABSTRACT

A means for extending wires through the center pivot of an articulated vehicle including an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve with a pair of bushings trapped therebetween to permit a bundle of wires to extend therethrough whereby the life of the wires is enhanced.

Unified Siaies Patem 11 1 [111 3,781,037 Czajkowski Dec. 25, 1973 [54] MEANS FQR EXTENDING WIRES 1,822,260 9/1931 Adams 174/86 X UG THE CE T PIVOT OF AN 1,980,015 1 l/l934 Thompson 280/422 X 2,513,144 6/1950 Cederborg... 174/86 X ARTHCULATED VEHICLE 3,127,194 3/1964 Jeffries 280/421 [75] Inventor: Arthur J. Czajlrowski, North Chicago, 111.

Primary Examiner-Darrell L. Clay [73] Assignee. 21113352230351 Harvester Company, Attorney-Floyd B Harman [22] Filed: Get. 12, 1971 [211 App]. No.: 188,044

[57] ABSTRACT [52] 11.8. C1 280/421, 174/86, 280/422 511 Km. (:1 B60111 1/08 A means for extending wires through the center pivot [58] 11 18111 011 Search 174/86; 280/421, of an articulated vehicle including an inner sleeve and 230/422 an outer sleeve with a pair of bushings trapped therebetween to permit a bundle of wires to extend there- [56] R f enc Cit d through whereby the life of the wires is enhanced.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,913,987 11/1959 Clymer 174/86 X 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEI] DEC 2 5 1975 MEANS FOR EXTENDING WIRES THROUGH THE CENTER PIVOT OF AN ARTICULATED VEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to articulated vehicles and more particularly to a structural arrangement for extending electrical wires through the pivot connection between the units comprising the articulated vehicle.

The extending of electrical wires between the units comprising an articulated vehicle has always constituted a problem because of the bending stresses to which the wires are subjected. This problem is created when the wires are extended across the pivot axis such that as the vehicle runs through its cycles the wires are repeatedly bent causing metal fatigue and subsequent breakage thereof.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an electrical harness wherein wires are torqued and not bent during the working cycle of the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical harness which is positioned such that the wires are hanging in a plane directly over or under the pivot axis of the vehicle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a structural arrangement for stringing electrical wires whereby the wires hang freely in the same plane as that struck out by the pivot means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a method for stringing wires between the units of an articulated vehicle whereby the wires are subjected to torsional and not bending forces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The sole FIGURE is a side sectional view of a preferred form of the wire arrangement according to the present invention showing the wires vertically orientated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the FIGURE wherein the number designates the wire means which may be either a single wire or a group thereof. It should be further noted that although the specifications are limited to electrical wires, this invention would be applicable to other types of wires.

The wire means It) enters box or enclosure means 12 from a pipe or conduit means 14 which enters via aperture l6. Wire means 10 passes vertically through aperture means 18, coupling or bushing means 20, aperture means 22, into lower box or enclosure means 24 from which it passes into lower pipe or conduit means 26.

Said pipe means 26 entering enclosure means 24 via aperture means 28. In the preferred form said upper and lower enclosure means and lower pipe means are insulated against dust, dirt, moisture, etc.

The bushing means includes: an inner sleeve means 30 welded or otherwise suitably fixed to bottom means 32 of top enclosure means 12, extending downwardly through aperture means 18 and 22, pivotally into lower enclosure means 24; an outer collar means 34 carrying sleeve means 30 therein and being fixed to the top 36 of lower enclosure means 38 and extending upwardly to a point almost abutting bottom means 40 of enclosure 12; and two spaced apart polytetrafluoroethylene (sold under the trademark Teflon owned by E. I. Du Pont de Nemours, and Company) washers 42 and 44 sandwiched between sleeve means 30 and collar means 34. The upper end 62 of polytetrafluoroethylene washer 42 abuts and supports bottom means 40 while the lower end 64 riding on shoulder 66 of outer collar 34. The lower end 68 of Teflon washer 44 rides on a snap ring or retainer means 70 which is fixed to inner sleeve 30, the upper end 72 abutting and supporting shoulder 74 of collar 34. In operation, forces are transmitted between enclosure means 12 and 24 through polytetrafluoroethylene washers 42 and 44 such that the enclosure means can pivot or rock thereabout since inner sleeve means 30 floats in collar means 34 and collar means 34 doesn't contact enclosure 12.

The line 46 shown in FIG. 1 passes through the center of the vertical portion 48 of wire means 10 as well as the center of the pivot point of the articulated vehicle (not shown). By this procedure, the wire means 10 is subjected to only torsional stresses as articulated vehicle pivots about line 46. It is apparent that as vertical portion 48 is moved away from the line 46 the forces acting thereupon would tend to become more of a bending nature and less of a torsional nature. It is thus apparent that the vertical portion 48 of the wire means 10 must be located directly on a line passing through the center of the pivot point of the articulated vehicle.

In the preferred embodiment, an excess of wire means 10 is employed for the stringing between the units of the articulated vehicle such that a smooth bend 50 is formed in the upper enclosure means 12. This tends to avoid any possibility of wear damage as the wire means 10 passes over the tip 62 of pipe means 14.

Also in the preferred embodiment the wire bundle means It) is tied or otherwise confined by a first and second securing means 54 and 56 located in the bend portions 50 and 60. By so securing the wire bundle, the entire vertical portion is capable of torque without any difficulties which might arise as a result of being secured as a group. It should also be understood that the wires could be strung without the use of securing means, although with small gauge wire bundles, a securing means would be preferred.

The wire means 10 torques about its vertical axis and is subjected to forces described by the formula: S TC/J wherein: S is the torsional stress in lbs/sq. in., J is the polar moment ofinertia of the wire, C is the distance from the neutral axis to the extreme of the fiber, and Tis the torque in inch pounds. As was stated previously, the bending forces are to be avoided, such forces being described by the formula: 8,, MC/I wherein: S is the bending stress in lbs./sq.in., M is the moment thereof in inch pounds, C is the distance from the neutral axis to the extreme of the fiber, and B is the moment of inertia of a section about an axis passing through the center of gravity.

What is claimed is:

I. In an articulated vehicle having front and rear frame sections connected for pivoting about an axis, a means for extending wires between said section so that stresses imposed on said wires by pivoting of said sections during steering maneuvers is minimized and the wires are isolated from water, dust and debris; said means comprising:

a box mounted on each of said frame sections in overlying relationship;

an inner sleeve secured to one of said boxes and extending toward the other;

retainer means carried by said sleeve and engaging said other bushing member to hold the later member against said lower shoulder;

said sleeve and collar being arranged to be coaxial with said pivot axis of said frame sections;

a bundle of wires extending between said boxes through said sleeve so that the wires are subjected primarily to torsion stresses thereby enhancing the fatigue life of the wires. 

1. In an articulated vehicle having front and rear frame sections connected for pivoting about an axis, a means for extending wires between said section so that stresses imposed on said wires by pivoting of said sections during steering maneuvers is minimized and the wires are isolated from water, dust and debris; said means comprising: a box mounted on each of said frame sections in overlying relationship; an inner sleeve secured to one of said boxes and extending toward the other; an outer collar secured to said other box and extending toward said one box, said collar surrounding said sleeve and having upper and lower shoulders projecting toward said sleeve; a pair of bushing members positioned between said sleeve and collar to function as a bearing means therebetween and formed of polytetrafluoroethylene, one bushing member located between said upper shoulder and said one box and the other bushing member located between the lower shoulder and said other box; retainer means carried by said sleeve and engaging said other bushing member to hold the later member agaInst said lower shoulder; said sleeve and collar being arranged to be coaxial with said pivot axis of said frame sections; a bundle of wires extending between said boxes through said sleeve so that the wires are subjected primarily to torsion stresses thereby enhancing the fatigue life of the wires. 